Persian History

Its ancient name was Parsa to ancient Persians, it modern name is Takht-e Jamshid, (Persian: Throne of Jamshid), to Iranians it was the capital of the Achaemenian kings of Iran (Persia). Persepolis is located about 50 kms northeast of Shiraz in the province of Fars in southwestern Iran. It was set on fire by Alexander upon his defeat of Darius III.

Enthroned in Peresepolis, the magnificent city that he built, Darius I firmly grasps the royal scepter in his right hand. In the left, he is holding a lotus blossom with two buds, the symbol of royalty.

The Achaemanide map showing the boundries of the empire that Cyrus II initiated and Darius I consolidated. Below is listed some of the great achievements of the Persians during the Achaemenide Period, some world firsts.

The following is taken from 'the Dazzling Reach of Darius's Imperial Spear' Time life Books.

Suez Canal workers, digging 20 miles north of Suez in 1866 came upon fragments of a red granite stele that, whole, had stood nearly 10' tall and measured about 7' across. Startled at finding the monument, the workmen would have been even more surprised had they been able to read the inscriptions on its sides, spelled out in Old Persian, Babylonian, Elamite, and Egyptian. These included an astonishing message- repeated in all four languages- from Darius the Great, King of Persia: "I ordered this canal to be dug from the Nile, which flows in Egypt, to the sea that goes to Persia." This canal was dug out as I commanded," he boasts on his stele, "and ships went from Egypt through this canal into Persia as was my desire." According to Herodotus, the canal was wide enough for two war galleys to pass each other under oar. Ships took four days to move from one end to the other.

The empire that Darius acquired and extended united western Asia from the Mediteranian to the Indus Valley under a single ruler ( see above) covering an area almost two million square miles, with some 10 million inhabitants.

Other achievements of note of the Achaemenids is the road built between Susa in southern Iran to Sardis in Lydia (the Royal Road). Herodotus had calculated that it took Cyrus three months to move his army from Susa to Sardis, a journey of some 1700 miles. Cyrus is also reputed to have devised the first postal system. Xenophon reports that Cyrus first calculated the distance a horse could go in one day without being too exhausted, he than had a series of posting stations built distances of one horse-day apart, hence ensuring efficient flow of information between the king and provincial governors.

Charter of the Rights of Nations
Inscribed on a clay cylinder in cuneiform
discovered in 1879 now in The British Museum, London.

... I am Cyrus. King of the world. When I entered Babylon... I did not allow anyone to terrorise the land... I kept in view the needs of people and all its sanctuaries to promote their well-being... I put an end to their misfortune. The Great God has delivered all the lands into my hand; the lands that I have made to dwell in a peaceful habitation...

Cyrus (580-529 BC) was the first Achaemenian Emperor. He founded Persia by uniting the two original Iranian Tribes- the Medes and the Persians. Although he was known to be a great conqueror, who at one point controlled one of the greatest Empires ever seen, he is best remembered for his unprecedented tolerance and magnanimous attitude towards those he defeated.

Upon his victory over the Medes, he founded a government for his new kingdom, incorporating both Median and Persian nobles as civilian officials. The conquest of Asia Minor completed, he led his armies to the eastern frontiers. Hyrcania and Parthia were already part of the Median Kingdom. Further east, he conquered Drangiana, Arachosia, Margiana and Bactria. After crossing the Oxus, he reached the Jaxartes, where he built fortified towns with the object of defending the farthest frontier of his kingdom against nomadic tribes of Central Asia. The victories to the east led him again to the west and sounded the hour for attack on Babylon and Egypt. When he conquered Babylon, he did so to cheers from the Jewish Community, who welcomed him as a liberator- he allowed the Jews to return to the promised Land. He showed great forbearance and respect towards the religious beliefs and cultural traditions of other races. These qualities earned him the respect and homage of all the people over whom he ruled.

"In the victories of the Persians... what was different was the new policy of reconciliation and together with this was the prime aim of Cyrus to establish a pax Achaemenica..... If one were to assess the achievements of the Achaemenid Persians, surely the concept of One World, .... the fusion of peoples and cultures in one 'Oecumen' was one of their important legacies"

The victory over Babylonia expressed all the facets of the policy of conciliation which Cyrus had followed until then. He presented himself not as a conqueror, but a liberator and the legitimate successor to the crown. He took the title of "King of Babylon_ King of the Land". Cyrus had no thought of forcing conquered people into a single mould, and had the wisdom to leave unchanged the institution of each kingdom he attached to the Persian Crown. In 537 BC he allowed more than 40,000 Jews to leave Babylon and return to Palestine. This step was in line with his policy to bring peace to Mankind. A new wind was blowing from the east, carrying away the cries and humility of defeated and murdered victims, extinguishing the fires of sacked cities, and liberating nations from slavery.

Cyrus was upright, a great leader of men, generous and benelovent. The Hellenes, whom he conquered regarded him as 'Law-giver' and the Jews as 'the annointed of the Lord'.

Prior to his death, he founded a new capital city at Pasargade in Fars. and had established a government for his Empire. He appointed a governor (satrap) to represent him in each province, however the administration, legistlation, and cultural activities of each province was the responsibility of the Satraps. Accoding to Xenophon Cyrus is also reputed to have devised the first postal system.